Apple joins Malala Fund to empower girls

London: Aiming to empower girl education in India and other countries, Apple on Monday announced support for the Malala Fund -- led by Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai -- which is focused on advocating every girl's right to 12 years of free, safe and quality education.

With Apple's support, the Malala Fund expects to double the number of grants awarded by its "Gulmakai Network" and extend funding programmes to India and Latin America -- with the initial goal of extending secondary education opportunities to more than 100,000 girls.

The fund's "Gulmakai Network" currently supports programmes in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Lebanon, Turkey and Nigeria. Apple will become the fund's first Laureate partner, enabling a significant expansion of Yousafzai's effort to support girls' education and advocate for equal opportunity.

"We believe that education is a great equalising force, and we share the Malala Fund's commitment to give every girl an opportunity to go to school," CEO Tim Cook said in a statement. Cook will also join the Malala Fund leadership council.

"Yousafzai is a courageous advocate for equality. She's one of the most inspiring figures of our time, and we are honoured to help her extend the important work she is doing to empower girls around the world," Cook added.

Apple will help the Malala Fund scale its organisation by assisting with technology, curriculum and research into policy changes needed to help girls everywhere attend school and complete their education. "My dream is for every girl to choose her own future," said Yousafzai.

"I am grateful that Apple knows the value of investing in girls and is joining the Malala Fund in the fight to ensure all girls can learn and lead without fear," she noted.

Since 2013, Malala Fund has been working in partnership with other organisations, the private sector and governments around the world to realize every girl's right to 12 years of free, safe, quality education. "With an estimated 130 million girls out of school, the importance of their work is increasingly essential," Apple said.